Editorial: Life After the "Fappening"

On August 31st, 2014, dozens of female celebrities found many of their most intimate photos simultaneously released online by hackers. Crudely dubbed the "Fappening," the events of that day (and subsequent waves) represent the single largest breach of celebrity privacy in history. Within hours, celebrities worldwide were scrambling to contain the damage. Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence went to far as to call her hacking a "sex crime." However, nearly all of the images of that day remain readily available on the Internet over a year later. But major security breaches have not been limited to celebrities. In the aftermath of the "Fappening," we've seen major security breaches from Snapchat and AshleyMadison.com—with the former, the "Snappening" involved the release of photos and videos of some 200,000 users, while the latter saw the personal information of over 30 million users compromised. What should should Americans learn from these attacks? For example, which is more troubling, that so many of us rushed to see the hacked material, or that so many were indifferent to plight of these women? In a concise editorial, consider the implications of living in a post-"Fappening" world.

Cite from the following texts below to support your thesis:

• “The Jennifer Lawrence Leak: Who is at Risk Now?” (New Yorker)
• “What We Should Learn from ‘The Fappening’ (A Lesson in Security Design)” (Medium)
• “Don't Blame Sh**ty Technology for the Fappening” (Vice)
• “Investigation of 'Celebgate' Nude Photo Leak Leads to this Midwest City” (Fortune)
• “Misogyny is Not Human Nature” (Slate)
• “The Sex Crime We Need to Talk About” (Elle Australia)

 Remember, an editorial expresses an opinion on a current issue. It may take a formal or informal tone, but its primary goal is always to persuade readers. Because editorials were born in newspapers, they are traditionally succinct in form and can often carry the "voice" of the author. 

Sample editorials from around the country:

• "Donald Trump is an Aimless, Angry Leader" (Washington Post)
• "Refusal to Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses is Not an Expression of Religious Liberty" (New Haven Register)
• "A Shameful Response in Europe to the Refugee Crisis in North Africa and Mideast" (Los Angeles Times)
• "Overreaction in Clock-Bomb Mix-Up has Chilling Effect" (Dallas Morning News)

The best papers will:

• Have a title that articulates its point of view
• Stay within the parameters of the subject matter
• Have a concise thesis which outlines a clear position
• Be written in a voice that is casual, yet informed
• Clearly support their theses with solid evidence and a logical structure, thoughtfully citing from the articles above
• Conclude with a summation of the argument
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Are in compliance with MLA Style

Requirements:

• 2-3 pages in length
• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• Works cited page

Due: Wed 9.23 (Draft 1: Bring 2 copies); Wed 9.30 (Final draft: Attach draft 1 to back AND a one paragraph summary of the changes you made between drafts)